Artistic License
by belncaz
Summary: Kuroko Tetsuya is a bestselling novelist and he meets Akashi Seijuro to interview him about shogi for research purposes. Their meeting ends with Akashi wanting to know more about Kuroko in return and their story gets complicated from there.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer** : I don't own Kuroko no Basuke

 **Rating:** T, for some eventual swearing and themes related to yaoi/romance. Rating might go up.

 **A/N** : This was originally only going to be a one shot for Akashi's birthday, but they wouldn't cooperate and do what I wanted them to in just one scene, so this is now a multi-chapter project. And well…we'll just see what happens. Anyway…happy birthday to Akashi-kun!

I hope you enjoy it :)

Artistic License

Chapter 1

"Akashi-sama? Your 3:30 appointment has arrived." The smooth, professional tones of his secretary emanated from the speaker on his desk. Red and gold eyes glanced down to check the time, his visitor had the decency to arrive promptly for the meeting at least. He wasn't especially looking forward to this consultation but he hoped it would be over soon.

He depressed the intercom button to reply and simply stated, "Thank you. Please send him through."

After a brief delay, the door to his office was opened and a blue haired, slender male in his twenties entered the room. They stared at one another for a moment, taking stock of each other.

It wasn't often that Akashi Seijuro was taken by surprise, but Kuroko Tetsuya didn't even remotely fit Akashi's mental template of what an internationally bestselling author should look like. He didn't wear glasses, he wasn't desperately clutching a coffee cup as if separation from it would result in instantaneous death, and he didn't have an air of distraction surrounding him. Kuroko was dressed neatly but his clothes were absolutely ordinary; he didn't give off an aura of either bohemian flair or focused intensity. He had almost no presence whatsoever, in fact. He seemed…supremely average.

His one concession to the writer's stereotype seemed to be his slightly unkempt hair that could have either happened from the wind outside or running his fingers through it, if it wasn't naturally that unruly. The calm expression on his face gave nothing away as to his thoughts about being so thoroughly scrutinized, and Akashi reluctantly gave him points for nerve – there weren't many that could handle meeting him with such equanimity.

"You're Kuroko Tetsuya, the novelist?" Akashi knew he must be as his security wouldn't have let the other male into the lobby of his office building without first verifying his credentials, but it was still difficult to reconcile.

"I'm afraid so, Akashi-san." Although Kuroko's mild voice held trace elements of humorous self-deprecation, his expression did not change. He was perfectly aware he was not particularly impressive looking and had long since accepted it.

The redhead nodded abruptly. "Very well, please have a seat." He gestured to the elegant, but comfortable, chairs in front of his desk as he settled into his own seat.

Kuroko accepted the invitation and sat down in one of them in a way that told Akashi he was used to arranging himself in whatever position presented itself. Kuroko did not appear to be intimidated by the luxurious surroundings in the least. He extracted a plain notebook and simple ballpoint pen from his worn leather bag – the utilitarian nature of these items again took Akashi by surprise – and then raised his head to meet Akashi's eyes.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. I am very grateful for the opportunity as I like for my characters to be as realistic as possible even though I primarily write fiction."

Akashi raised an eyebrow at that. "Ryota was rather vague about the nature of the meeting you requested, so I am afraid I don't know exactly what you mean. Are you intending to base a character on me? If so, I will have to decline your request. I value my privacy too much for such a thing."

There was a brief pause before Kuroko smiled. "I apologize, Akashi-san. I should have ensured that Kise-kun was more forthright about the reason for the interview, but he gets so enthusiastic at times he can be forgetful. I am not basing a character on you, per se, but I did want to pick your brain about the nature of a professional shogi player. My book is about a collection of gifted people at the top of their respective fields and my editor suggested a shogi player might balance out one of the other characters."

Akashi stared at him for a long moment before finally asking, "You were looking for a professional shogi player? Do you know who I am, Kuroko-san?"

Kuroko nodded and shrugged. "Yes, of course I do. I know you are not only a shogi player; although you are certainly skilled in that role, but you're also the head of a very impressive corporate empire. I was talking with Kise-kun about the book and mentioned that I don't know any shogi players and he suggested your name. He knew you played and thought he might draw upon your acquaintanceship to arrange the interview. I understand if it is too much trouble; I did point out to him that you are unquestionably a very busy man."

"Out of curiosity, how do you know Ryota?" Akashi's question appeared idle, but he was deeply interested. One of his subsidiary companies had hired the model for an advertising campaign and he'd come to know the energetic blond through social events – he would not have thought the unassuming person in front of him, despite his own success as an author, would be someone of particular importance to the vivacious person he'd come to know.

"I've known him for a long time. We went to middle school together and played basketball on the same team. We've kept in touch and he is in fact the basis for one of the other characters of this project."

Akashi nodded and looked thoughtful for a moment. "That would explain it. Ryota's not much of a reader and he seems rather too…visible…to be friends with a novelist that is so infamous for their reclusiveness."

Kuroko tilted his head slightly. "For the record, it isn't that I am really all that reclusive, I'm just difficult to notice and it gets interpreted as the same thing by the press. But yes, Kise-kun can definitely be something of a social whirlwind at times. He means well though, thus this misguided effort to help me. I appreciate your time, Akashi-san, but I'll find someone else." Here he made to stand and was obviously intending to leave.

"Sit." While the word came out a little more imperiously than he actually intended, Akashi didn't apologize for his tone despite the sharp look Kuroko sent his way. Instead he merely offered his acceptance of the interview. "You're already here, and I am, if I may say so, one of the best shogi players in the world. It would be a disservice if I allowed you to interview anyone else."

"I would not want to impose." Kuroko's reply was stilted and Akashi smiled as he picked up on the slight coolness embedded in Kuroko's otherwise empty voice – it seemed he had a temper. But it didn't escape Akashi's notice that Kuroko still obeyed his command and retook his seat, as was only right.

Akashi couldn't have explained why, but suddenly he wanted the blue haired man to stay. "You've got my attention. I don't read for entertainment so I only know of your work by reputation, but I would hate to be even tangentially responsible for a sub-par effort from such a renowned author. Besides," and here a faintly mischievous tone entered his voice, "It's my birthday today, so I can do what I like and this seems as if it might be amusing."

Kuroko automatically responded with "Happy Birthday, Akashi-san," before realizing the significance of Akashi's words and continued, "But in that case, it is all the more reason I should go, surely I am holding you up from a celebration. If you are willing, we could just reschedule this for another time."

With a quick glance at his watch, Akashi shook his head. "I can't promise when my calendar might have a free spot again, as you mentioned, I am a very busy man. However, I have nothing else planned until later this evening. So for now, you have my attention. If I might ask, do you even know how to play shogi?"

"No, Akashi-san. I am completely unfamiliar with the game."

"Well then, let's start with an overview. It won't do you any good if you don't know what you are writing about after all." And without waiting for Kuroko to agree, he launched into a detailed mini-lecture on the rules and strategy involved in the game.

As Kuroko listened and took notes, he was struck by two impressions. First, Akashi clearly loved the game. His appreciation for the nuances and layers of strategy, attack, and defense spoke to his sophisticated intellect and long-range planning abilities. Second, he was very good at explaining things; shogi was obviously a difficult game but Kuroko felt he had a basic understanding of it by the end of Akashi's lesson. Kuroko considered that those two characteristics alone – passion and patience – were most likely essential aspects of Akashi's personality. Yet as he heard some of the redhead's more ruthless strategies explained, he thought that he would do well to keep in mind that Akashi was not merely a game enthusiast, he was nothing less than an emperor in a modern setting. He smiled slightly before quickly suppressing it.

Akashi caught the gesture anyway. "Have I said something amusing, Kuroko-san?"

Kuroko lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. "Not at all Akashi-san and I apologize for any offense I may have given. I was just thinking you were born in the wrong era, you would have made an excellent emperor or warlord."

There was a brief pause as Akashi considered those words before he smiled. "You're right, I would have. However, I'd suggest it is simply a matter of scale and that I do well enough as a modern incarnation of one."

"I doubt too many people would argue with you on that, Akashi-san."

Akashi leaned back in his chair and looked at his guest. He could see that Kuroko had taken a lot of notes and that while his writing had been quick and efficient; there was no sacrifice of legibility. He'd recorded Akashi's comments in a way that showed he'd been listening, but he'd filtered through what would help him create the character. In its way, it had been fascinating to watch Kuroko while he'd been speaking because he could catch a glimpse of what was developing in the author's imagination – it was a bit like they were creating it together, even though Akashi had no inclination to try his own hand at writing.

Still, he could see that Kuroko's character was going to be heavily influenced by his style of shogi playing. He smirked to himself and wondered if any of his competitors would read Kuroko's book and recognize it. Akashi wasn't worried about this being used against him; he was far too skilled to be outdone by a simple recounting of what he had already accomplished.

"Tell me more about your book, Kuroko-san. I'm curious as to how this shogi player will fit in."

Kuroko blinked at the request, but he didn't see why it would hurt. "It's still in very early stages, but I am writing about a group of prodigies across different fields. So far I have a doctor, a shogi player, a professional basketball player, a chef, and a model. It is possible I will have to add in others as the story progresses. The driving conflict will be that they become each isolated from their peers because of their incredible talents and the narrative will trace how they come to balance their gifts with a more grounded perspective of the world."

Akashi's expression had turned remote. "Is this going to be a story based on the foolish trope that hard work trumps talent? Or that power corrupts? I realize that you said you write fiction, but even so, I am hard pressed to see how that could be believable with a cast as you've described. They will be ordinary humans, correct? Not superheroes or mutants or something like that? If so, how can your readers be expected to go along with the idea that a professional shouldn't strive to be the absolute best in their particular niche?"

"I must respectfully disagree and that's not what I said, Akashi-san. I haven't written the story yet, but my goal is not to villainize the characters for their talents. Instead I want to show that these gifts don't come without a cost, and that it takes significant inner strength to be able to handle the demands. If anything, the story is intended to be a redemption arc of the prodigies that shows why their skills are even more amazing." Kuroko's retort was a little angry; he clearly didn't appreciate Akashi's dismissive view of his project.

The air was tense for a moment before Akashi briefly inclined his head. "I don't read fiction very frequently so perhaps my perspective is skewed on that basis. I look forward to seeing what you make of this story, but I will honestly tell you that I would be disappointed if the only purpose of the book is to somehow redeem the mediocrity of the average person. Your characters and your readers deserve more than that, Kuroko-san, and it seems to me your foundation is flawed. You would do better to consider how your prodigies are examples of the natural order – winners are just, and losers are to be cast aside. As someone that is acknowledged as a significant talent yourself, I can't imagine you truly believe otherwise."

Kuroko stared at Akashi for a long moment; he was obviously trying to restrain himself from saying something he'd regret. Finally he exhaled harshly and stood, then after replacing his belongings in his bag he bowed to Akashi. "Thank you for your time today, Akashi-san. I truly appreciate the opportunity and your explanations. I hope you enjoy the remainder of your birthday and wish you good health for the new year." He didn't wait for Akashi to reply and instead strode to the exit without any further comment.

The redhead watched him go, both amused and intrigued. As the door closed behind Kuroko, Akashi reached for his phone and dialed a number from memory. He wasn't surprised it was answered on the second ring.

"Hello Sei-chan, how may I help you today?"

"Reo, please initiate a background check on Kuroko Tetsuya."

There was a pause as the other man registered the request. "The author you just met with today?" His voice was fluid and calm but Akashi heard a note of uncertainty underneath it all the same.

"Yes, is there a problem with that?" Akashi's voice didn't hint at a willingness to entertain any delays.

"No, of course not. I just wanted to ensure I was being accurate." The slight huffiness in Mibuchi's reply brought a smile to Akashi's face for a moment before he resumed speaking.

"You are. I want to know everything you can dig up on him as soon as possible. He's friends with Ryota, that avenue might prove useful to pursue for information. They apparently went to the same middle school."

"He must have made an impression for you to want to know more…?" Mibuchi's question was obvious and Akashi answered, in part at least.

"He's not what I expected. If it had been anyone other than Ryota that had asked for the meeting on his behalf then I would have arranged to have this information ahead of time, but he's so harmless that I was careless. Kuroko on the other hand…there's something there I can't quite put my finger on yet, but no matter, I expect I'll have the mystery solved soon enough." He ended with a small chuckle that was less about true mirth and more his confidence that he'd quickly have the true measure of his recent visitor.

"Very well, I'll get to work on it myself." Mibuchi paused for a second. "And Sei-chan? Happy Birthday. Enjoy your evening."

Akashi murmured his thanks and disconnected the call. He sat back and considered the day's events. He wasn't sure what exactly about his visitor had so caught his attention, perhaps it was because he'd shown such realistic self-awareness of his own lack of presence yet offered such a naïve plot outline. Akashi enjoyed puzzles, and Kuroko was, for the moment at least, showing all signs of proving to be a unique challenge indeed. As to the purpose of the inquiry, he didn't need one. It was natural for him to want to know more about those he encountered and he could in all seriousness write this off as a simple routine endeavor. But he also knew that those slight sparks of pique and the charming earnestness of the author's conversation with him had proven...interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke

Thanks for reading, welcome to chapter 2!

Artistic License

Chapter 2

Mibuchi Reo was nervous. He was seated across from his boss, with a thin - too thin, really - file placed squarely in the center of the desk between them. He'd known when he'd submitted the report on Kuroko Tetsuya that Akashi wouldn't be pleased. For someone that had such an established career, it had been exceptionally difficult to locate substantive information on the author.

Akashi had read the file in moments, his perceptive eyes moving over the scant text with precision and speed. He'd closed the slender folder and placed it back on the desk and now he was examining Mibuchi with an impassive look that could mean anything, but certainly meant something.

"This is all you could find?" Akashi's voice was deceptively gentle and Mibuchi reflexively tensed in his chair. Despite having known this man for several years and being one of the closest approximations to a friend that the other possessed, Mibuchi was perfectly aware that Akashi had a dangerous side that he did not want to bring out. Akashi hadn't guided his father's company into international dominance at such a young age just by relying on his good looks, he was a shrewd tactician that had little patience or forgiveness for those that didn't deliver results. All of which meant Mibuchi had reason to be concerned for his inadvertent failure.

He could only nod his head unsteadily. "He's a very private person, apparently. The usual channels didn't yield anything noteworthy – he doesn't seem to have any bad habits or scandals in his past, his finances are what you'd expect. Prior to his university attendance, he was an average student with a few minor roles in a small number of extracurricular activities. Once he moved on to university, he studied literature, worked part-time, and apparently wrote a surprise best-seller. Kise-chan was the largest source of information beyond the standard databases, but he's clearly fond of Kuroko-san so while I included the more memorable anecdotes, they're not very useful. Really, except for the fact he has been published before, there's nothing of interest in his background."

It had been three weeks since Kuroko's appointment with Akashi. Even considering the busy holiday season and end-of-year reports he was in charge of, Mibuchi had produced far lengthier dossiers in less than half the time. Akashi conceded that it was possible the author was going to prove even more challenging than he'd initially allowed. He thought back to the way Kuroko's eyes had flashed when Akashi had dismissed his plot and smiled to himself, perhaps he should have expected such a thing from someone like Kuroko.

He'd gone to dinner that night with some acquaintances and business colleagues and while he had not been exactly distracted, Akashi had caught himself replaying their conversation during the occasional odd pause throughout the night. He was used to people wanting things from him, so the initial request to meet with him hadn't been surprising. Akashi hadn't, however, projected that he'd end up playing a tutor of sorts as he'd delved into an overview of his favorite game. He supposed that Kuroko's temper wasn't that astonishing either – it was his livelihood that Akashi had been questioning, after all.

He had half-expected to hear from Kuroko again, but apart from a brief, though very polite, thank you note there hadn't been further efforts at contact. Akashi didn't know why he was disappointed by this. It wasn't as though Kuroko had said he'd need to follow-up to continue with his character's development, and Akashi was prepared to admit his own reaction to Kuroko's idea had probably derailed that possibility anyway. Still, it had seemed obvious to him that they had started something and while he couldn't put into words exactly what he wanted from the enigmatic person that had met with him; he knew he didn't have it yet. And that, coupled with the increasing mystery surrounding Kuroko, was proving too great a riddle to resist an attempt to solve.

The only connection between them was Ryota and that was telling enough in its own way. Akashi hadn't seen the model in quite a while but he knew he wasn't wrong in his understanding that Ryota's acceptance of Kuroko was enough to signal there was more to him that it might appear. Ryota, for all his outward effervescence, was actually exceptionally picky about whom he allowed into his life and their childhood acquaintanceship wouldn't be enough to keep Kuroko in his circle on its own. So when he'd asked Akashi if he would be willing to meet with "Kurokocchi," Akashi had noted the tell-tale suffix for what it was and agreed, expecting to meet someone of similar caliber to have earned Ryota's respect.

Even though he wasn't exactly what Akashi had expected, Kuroko hadn't disappointed in that regard. Not to mention there were other aspects that had seemed to allow glimpses of the person that might be able to hold Ryota's friendship for so many years.

He glanced down at the file for a brief moment before returning his gaze to Mibuchi. "Thank you for your work. You said you went through the normal channels, so we'll try a few that are…less orthodox. Contact his publisher; get what information you can, particularly on any rivalries or rumors. Use my name if you must, but there's no need to be transparent about the reason why – simply say we're investigating a number of public figures for our annual symposium on the arts and his name is on our slate of possible speakers."

Mibuchi let out the breath he'd been holding while Akashi had been thinking. He was lucky, and he knew it, but he would take this opportunity to try to wrangle up more information about this person that had so captured Akashi's attention. He tensed again though, as Akashi's eyes gleamed after he glanced down at the folder one more time.

"After that, reach out to Imayoshi. His approach will be a little less…refined…than yours, but I believe it might prove effective in this case."

The reaction Mibuchi had to that statement was one part strained and one part amazed – he didn't care for the slyly-smirking man who had connections to any manner of criminal activity one might be concerned with, but he couldn't deny Imayoshi was exceptionally resourceful and would do what was needed to fulfill this task. What had Kuroko done to warrant this level of interest?

"Sei-chan…are you sure you want to involve Imayoshi-san in this?" His question was hesitant, Mibuchi knew he was taking a risk by questioning Akashi like that, but Imayoshi's efforts wouldn't be free and he rarely wanted something as straightforward as money for his work.

Red and gold eyes flashed with amusement. "Don't worry, Reo. I'm fine with paying his fee; I know what he will want this time and it won't even be something for you to have to be anxious about. He's wanted to acquire a racehorse I purchased several months ago and I'm happy to let him have it for this piece of work. He'll take good care of the animal after all."

The assistant nodded his head and took the cue to leave; he had additional tasks to accomplish now after all.

When the door closed behind him, Akashi settled more comfortably into his chair and mentally turned over the facts he had at his disposal. The biographical material in the file was little better than what could be pulled from the author's public profile, but it was enough to start fleshing out a picture of the type of person Kuroko was. He didn't doubt that he'd know more soon, as diligent as Reo was, there were apparently certain areas he couldn't access, and that was why he wanted Imayoshi to take a shot.

Still, there was one piece of data in the file that caught his attention but it would require contacting Ryota for more information before he could potentially leverage it into another opportunity to meet with Kuroko. He reached for his phone and called the model, briefly explaining his reason for contacting him and receiving an excited and enthusiastic agreement from Ryota. That was fine, then. He'd have time wait for the new reports to come through before making his next move.

For his part, Kuroko had left the meeting with Akashi feeling a strange combination of fascination and anger. From what he'd heard of Akashi-san he supposed neither of those reactions were really so unusual, but he hadn't been prepared for the overwhelming presence that the redhead possessed. When Kise-kun had asked him how it had gone, Kuroko had had a surprisingly difficult time coming up with the right words – something the model had laughed at but let go in favor of their usual activity of playing streetball. However, he'd ultimately admitted the meeting had been helpful and thanked his friend. It didn't matter that he had originally planned to have a series of interviews with each of the real world inspirations for his book's prodigies – he felt that it would be dangerous to meet with Akashi again. So he'd begun researching shogi on his own and come up with the names of several talented, though well below Akashi's level, players that were willing to meet with him. It would be enough.

He couldn't stop himself from patterning his player along Akashi's example though, and felt he was trying to answer his own curiosity about the charismatic businessman through his writing. It wasn't that the shogi player was really taking over the novel, but as Kuroko plotted out his narrative, the role was becoming increasingly more complicated as it overlapped with the others in a way he hadn't initially considered. To try to counter this, he deliberately described the player as a semi-antithesis of Akashi.

The character, whose name became Ito Katsu, was tall and black haired with hazel eyes – the result of his half English, half Japanese parentage. He made his living as a middle school science teacher rather than an elite businessman and while he still became isolated because of his inability to find a true competitor, Ito's crisis wasn't combined with his lack of family support but rather emphasized his need for an equal among the crowded chaos of his life. His style of playing though – that was Akashi's. Kuroko sometimes imagined Akashi's voice pointing out the fatal error during a match he'd be watching for his research, but he himself was still too new to the game to really recognize all of its finer points. As absorbing as it was to see the different styles offered by local players, Kuroko could tell that Akashi was on another level.

With that in mind, he supposed he shouldn't be as surprised as he was to see the redhead a few weeks later at his own birthday celebration in late January. It was a mid-sized affair that his publisher was throwing at Kuroko's preferred restaurant and had a combination of people from his personal and professional lives.

He'd gone up to the bar to ask for his usual, which the bartender had provided with a kind smile, before turning and being confronted by the heterochromatic eyes of a certain businessman that Kuroko had no difficultly recognizing. But he was confused as to why the redhead was there. Akashi's office wasn't nearby and Kuroko couldn't imagine he'd have much cause to be in this section of town and even if he had, it was unlikely he'd find his way to this particular establishment. It was a perfectly nice bar in a perfectly nice neighborhood, but it certainly wasn't the domain of movers and shakers like Akashi.

Akashi answered his unspoken question with a calmly uttered, "Happy Birthday, Kuroko-san. Ryota was kind enough to invite me when I spoke with him recently. I wanted to return the good wishes you offered me on my birthday at least."

"Thank you, Akashi-san. I don't mind of course, but I'm surprised you are here."

"I thought it might be interesting." He paused and looked at the drink in Kuroko's hand before lifting an inquisitorial eyebrow. "What is that rather exotic concoction you've got there?"

Kuroko glanced down automatically to look at his drink before he shrugged and answered – it wasn't anything to hide. "It's a Chai Blossom. Its spiced tea mixed with lime juice, club soda, lemon, and star anise. I can't handle alcohol or straight fizzy drinks very well, and the bartender here was nice enough to recommend this to me several years ago."

"I see." Akashi privately admitted to being somewhat surprised that Kuroko would so casually disclose such a peculiar thing, but he supposed it was better than some alternatives. It gave Kuroko's companions the illusion he was participating in their drunken revelry without actually subjecting himself to a situation he knew he couldn't handle. But it sounded vile – tea was not meant to be corrupted in that fashion.

Sensing the train of Akashi's thoughts, Kuroko smiled and turned back to the bartender and asked for another one for Akashi. The man nodded and quickly assembled it – he kept a stock of chilled tea for several drinks like this one and he'd prepared even more that evening having known Kuroko's party was happening there. When it was ready, it was handed to Akashi who took the drink with a look that said he was prepared to only take a polite sip and then set it down. Akashi could tell his companion was amused byt his behavior even though his expression appeared to be blank.

Akashi was pleasantly surprised to find the drink was complexly flavored – the spices complemented the citrus but were mellowed with the sugar and club soda - and it was somehow both comforting and revitalizing. He could see why it was a long-standing option for Kuroko.

"This is…remarkably good." He looked over at the bartender next. "Thank you, it is skillfully made." The man nodded in acknowledgment of the praise and went to take care of other customers.

Kuroko tilted his head slightly and looked appraisingly at Akashi for a brief moment before speaking. "I don't know if you were planning to stay long, but you're welcome to come join us. I'm sure you are acquainted with a fair number of the people here anyway."

Akashi smirked for a second. "Are you trying to bribe me into staying as a networking opportunity?"

A small laugh escaped Kuroko who then shook his head good naturedly. "No, I'm sure you don't need my assistance for that. But at the very least if Kise-kun went to the trouble of inviting you he'd be disappointed not to see you. And he'd take that out on me, so really you'd be doing me a favor by letting him know you're here."

"Careful, Kuroko-kun. It can be dangerous to owe me a favor." Akashi spoke lightly but there was a definite undertone of truth to his words.

"I'll risk it this once. It's my birthday after all." And he proceeded to lead the way back to where the others were gathered.

Akashi's expression at the moment was somewhere between anticipation and arrogance – a fairly normal look for him in all honesty – but it was also tinged with a small degree of curiosity at the chance to see Kuroko in fairly neutral territory. He followed Kuroko obligingly and was somewhat amused by the near-universal recognition of his name as Kuroko introduced him.

He found himself seated next to Ryota and across from Kuroko when several people coincidentally, and somewhat nervously truth be told, got up at his arrival with the presumed intent to go order additional drinks for themselves.

"I should take you with me as part of my security team, Akashicchi. You can clear a room even better than they can!" Kise's teasing comment was highlighted by the mirth in his golden eyes as he observed the wide space that had been created by the redhead's arrival.

"If your security is incompetent then you should arrange for better personnel. It has nothing to do with me." Akashi's lazy reply expressed his own awareness of the situation as well as demonstrated he viewed the other male in at least a marginally friendly way.

Perhaps it was because Kuroko and Kise didn't seem fazed by the new arrival, but gradually the other members of the party returned and the lively atmosphere was restored. Akashi missed little as he observed the way the guests interacted with one another. He paid careful attention to Kuroko and realized he was getting better at reading his limited facial expressions.

To test himself, he turned to ask Ryota about the person that had currently stopped to speak with Kuroko. He thought he was seeing displeasure and tension from Kuroko but he didn't know who the other person was – and their expression wasn't much easier to understand.

Kise spared only the briefest of glances for the figure next to Kuroko but Akashi noted that the blond seemed to uncharacteristically weigh his words before he spoke. "That's Mayuzumi Chihiro; he's also a writer with the publishing house Kurokocchi's contracted to. He's only here because his agent made him come; they're rivals and disagree about almost everything. It was starting to get some negative attention from the press though so they're both under orders to play nicely with each other, in public at least."

Akashi nodded and remembered his second report from Reo had mentioned something along those lines. The name had also been brought up by Imayoshi who'd suggested the feud was a little more long-standing than the press was aware of – which Ryota's cautious reply seemed to validate.

He saw that Kuroko seemed to visibly lighten once Mayuzumi left, but it was still such a minimal change that Akashi wondered how he managed to maintain such a stoic look all the time.

After a moment he felt Ryota's gaze and Akashi turned to meet the model's eyes questioningly. Kise had a slightly puzzled look on his face and he was about to say something when an excited "TETSU-KUN!" uttered by a high-pitched female voice broke through the air. A mere nanosecond later Kuroko was seemingly the victim of a pink-haired human hugging bomb. Kuroko's face had a resigned, though still pleased look – he apparently knew this woman enough to both put up with her shenanigans and show more obvious emotions…interesting.

This was quickly followed by an exasperated, "Oi, Satsuki, let Tetsu breathe. You can't kill him on his birthday at least." The speaker of that bit of wisdom turned out to be a tall, dark skinned man with midnight blue hair who approached the table at a more moderate pace than his companion had done.

The woman laughed and after a last squeeze she obediently backed off. She turned and greeted Kise familiarly, and then her eyes locked appraisingly on Akashi. He got the distinct impression she was trying to read him but he doubted she'd have much luck on that front. He smiled politely but blankly at her and hid his secret smirk when she narrowed her eyes in response.

Kuroko, who appeared to have regained his breath once he was released, stood to shake the man's hand and then turned back to introduce both of them to Akashi.

"Akashi-san, this is Momoi Satsuki and Aomine Daiki. Momoi-san and Aomine-kun both work for the police department; she is a profiler and he is a detective. Momoi-san, Aomine-kun, this is Akashi Seijuro; he is the head of the Akashi corporation and the one that kindly provided an overview of shogi for me last month."

The three of them silently evaluated each other but by tacit agreement didn't press one another for further details. Akashi got the distinct impression, though, from the looks they sent Ryota that the blond was going to be in for a rather uncomfortable round of interrogation when they got him alone.

Once they were seated it became clear to Akashi that Kuroko would have preferred his celebration be just with this smaller gathering – he was noticeably more relaxed when he spoke with Kise, Momoi, and Aomine than any of the others that had greeted him. Akashi wondered where he himself fell on the spectrum; he could tell Kuroko was cautious around him, but it wasn't in exactly the same way he seemed to engage the rest of the world. It was fascinating to watch.

Still, Akashi knew it was approaching time for him to leave. He had a lot of obligations to oversee and he didn't want to overplay his hand at this juncture. He made his excuses and was gratified that Kuroko stood to walk him out after a quick assurance to his friends he'd be right back.

As they stood outside, Akashi smiled at Kuroko. "It was an interesting evening, thank you for letting me participate in your birthday celebration."

Kuroko shrugged a little. "I'm surprised you wanted to, I got the impression last month you thought I was impossibly naïve."

"You are. But there's something else there, too. Together it's formed a rather interesting person. And it has never been my style to let things or people that interest me to just pass on by."

If Kuroko's expression had ever been easier to read than it was at that moment, it would have signaled a truly cataclysmic event. Akashi almost laughed at the outrage on Kuroko's face but he stopped when he heard Kuroko's reply.

"Akashi-san, I believe I mentioned before that you were rather like an emperor. That is not entirely a compliment. People, no matter how interesting or not you may find them, don't exist merely to amuse you. It is unkind to suggest otherwise."

Perhaps it was merely that anyone so rarely challenged him, but Akashi found himself staring at Kuroko with a quiet intensity that should have sent the shorter male running, yet the obstinate defiance in the blue eyes that were meeting his was far from fading.

When he spoke again, Akashi's voice was lethally quiet. "I have no obligation to be kind, Tetsuya. I am absolute and that means I am always correct. I expect you will come to know that sooner or later. For now, enjoy what's left of your birthday, I imagine we'll see each other again soon enough. After all, we haven't discussed Ogiwara Shigehiro yet, have we?" He didn't wait for a reply, merely nodded his head at the look of stunned recognition on the other's face before he strode off to the car that was waiting for him.

Kuroko watched the car drive off in silent disbelief; he couldn't fathom why Akashi had mentioned that name or why he even knew it. He visibly shook himself and took a few deep breaths to calm down – he couldn't go back to his friends like this. After a moment longer he returned, hoping his disposition would be written off due to tiredness or even taking a chill from stepping outside as he'd done.

He was unsurprised to see Aomine-kun and Momoi-san had been questioning Kise-kun in his absence and he felt a brief twinge of pity for the blond before he selfishly realized this might take some of the attention away from him. It worked for a while, but soon Kuroko had to excuse himself on the pretense of illness and he left after waving off their concerned offers to escort him.

When he entered his home he was met with a soft bark of welcome from his dog, Nigou. He crouched down and gently ruffled the dog's fur before making moves to settle in for the evening. He had a lot to think about and didn't quite know where to start. If Akashi knew about Ogiwara, he had gone to a significant amount of trouble to investigate his background. Yet Kuroko couldn't say with any great certainty that the redhead had a specific plan in mind for that knowledge – it seemed he'd been prepared to reserve it for some unforeseen circumstance and his chiding of the other male had prompted the reveal ahead of schedule.

It would seem his 'harmless shogi player' was truly a thing of fiction now, as he was confronted with the reality of an emperor bent on enacting some form of reprisal for even the minimal attempt at thwarting him that Kuroko had tried that evening. He didn't exactly regret challenging Akashi's comment, but he couldn't imagine what Akashi wanted from him in the first place. It didn't help that his writer's brain was only too happy to supply possibilities more in line with a horror movie than real life. Kuroko didn't fall asleep easily that night as he grappled with his options. He finally drifted into something like sleep with the thought that he should ask Kise-kun for more information about Akashi since the model knew him better. It wasn't much, but it was a start.


	3. Chapter 3

Welcome to chapter 3, I hope you like it!

Artistic License

Chapter 3

* * *

"Kise-kun." Kuroko didn't have to say anything else for the blond to know he was in trouble. Kuroko's expression defied its usual inscrutability, he was clearly upset. Kuroko had woken up early that morning and once he'd had time to complete his morning routine, he'd asked Kise to come over. His friend had happily obliged, arriving in good spirits still held over from the night before. But on hearing the tone with which Kuroko said his name, Kise was aware there was a problem of some kind.

Kuroko and Kise were seated on opposite ends of Kuroko's couch, turned slightly to face each other. Nigou was in between them, his tail wagging slowly as he looked anxiously from one to the other. The atmosphere had become noticeably more tense after his master had spoken and Nigou wasn't entirely sure what to make of it.

"Don't look at me like that Kurokocchi! Why am I in trouble?!" Kise's anxiety was understandable, from his perspective Akashi hadn't posed a problem for Kuroko during the party. As far as Kise knew, he was blameless in whatever was disturbing Kurokocchi now.

"Did you tell Akashi-san about Ogiwara-kun?" The question was abrupt and Kise did a near double-take he was so unprepared to hear it. While he'd rather thought he might get scolded for not telling Kurokocchi that he'd let Akashicchi know about the party, this was an entirely different matter.

Kise shook his head in vehement denial. "What? No! I didn't say anything, Kurokocchi. I haven't even told Aominecchi or Momoicchi. I certainly wouldn't have told Akashicchi – there's no reason it would have even come up!"

Kuroko stared at his guest for a moment, his blue eyes thoughtful as he weighed Kise's words. It was true that Kise would have been unlikely to volunteer the information out of hand. But Kuroko had a keen appreciation for Akashi's deviousness and wouldn't have put it past him to somehow trick the story out of Kise from some subtle clue the blond had inadvertently revealed. Still…he trusted Kise, if the other was sure he hadn't said anything, it must have come from a different source. He sighed heavily before responding.

"Kise-kun, I believe you. But the fact remains that Akashi-san deliberately mentioned him to see how I would react and he implied that he intended to use it against me somehow. I'm not sure how or even why, but the threat was definitely there. So perhaps it is time you told me more about him." The request came out with a thread of defensiveness, a tone Kise picked up on as he rushed to try to reassure his friend.

"Kurokocchi…he can't do anything even if he knows about Ogiwara. It's not like it was any of your doing after all. If he thinks it's something to use against you, then clearly he was given faulty information. But I promise, Akashicchi isn't a rash person and he would figure out the truth of it before he tried to use it against you anyway. He's too thorough and exacting to do otherwise. I want to know why it came up between you in the first place."

Kuroko shrugged slightly. "He said something that made me angry and I told him he was being unkind. Among other things he said we'd see one another again soon because we hadn't discussed Ogiwara-kun. I was naturally surprised to hear that name from Akashi-san but he seemed to take it as an admission of sorts I think."

Kise bit his lower lip and furrowed his brow anxiously for a moment. "Well you could just explain the next time you see him. It isn't like there's really anything to hide, it was just an unfortunate episode."

Kurokocchi glared at Kise. "That's one way to put it, yes. But you didn't answer me, Kise-kun. Tell me more about Akashi-san. You've known him for a while but you've only mentioned him in passing, just to tell me about his credentials as a shogi player than anything else."

There was an uncomfortable silence as Kise shifted uneasily in his seat. "The thing is, Kurokocchi…I don't know a lot more about him than you do, really. Whenever we've encountered one another at a party or business meeting, the conversation was never personal. I can tell you he hates to be kept waiting and that he has no patience for incompetence. But aside from what is printed in the business section of the newspapers, there's not much information available about him. Even the gossip magazines only manage to get a photo of him arriving or leaving at an event – he keeps to himself."

Kuroko closed his eyes for a moment in temporary defeat. "Kise-kun, why did you even tell him about the birthday party if you aren't especially close?" He sounded ruefully resigned to the possibility this wasn't going to yield an answer he wanted to hear.

Kise brightened at this question, he had a good reason. "He called saying he knew your birthday was coming up and asked if there were plans to celebrate it. Since it was a semi-work occasion, I figured it wouldn't hurt for him to be seen there – a kind of...free publicity for you, I suppose?"

Kuroko laughed a little but it wasn't quite a sound of pure amusement. Of course Kise had meant well, that was usually the case whenever he caused trouble. He looked over at the blond and offered a small smile. It conveyed his understanding and Kise was relieved – he hated when Kurokocchi was mad at him.

"Alright, Kise-kun. I suppose it wasn't your fault he mentioned Ogiwara-kun, it probably would have happened sooner or later since he knows about him. But please, on the odd chance anything related to me comes up again, refrain from sharing anything else about me with Akashi-san, okay?"

He nodded as he agreed, "I won't, Kurokocchi. I promise."

"Thank you, Kise-kun. Alright then, let's hear it. How badly did Momoi-san and Aomine-kun question you last night while I was outside?" He asked this deliberately – he wanted to know how the other two had reacted to the unexpected guest once he was out of their sight.

Kise shuddered. "I am very glad I haven't committed an actual crime. I don't think I would survive that process if they got really serious." He carried on with a detailed, but most likely exaggerated, account of the questioning he'd endured.

Kuroko smiled, but his suspicions were confirmed by Kise's words. Akashi had registered as dangerous to both Momoi and Aomine, that was why they'd pounced on Kise to see why he was there. Kuroko wasn't sure if it was particular reassuring to know others had the same reaction to him. But he did know one thing, he couldn't let Akashi think he had leverage over Kuroko with whatever rumor he'd uncovered. His only real choice would be to meet with Akashi again and explain. It left him wondering why he cared enough to want to correct whatever impression Akashi held at the moment, but no matter what, he hoped it would somehow resolve things between them.

Kuroko turned his attention back to Kise, the other man had moved on from his story about Momoi and Aomine to launch into a discussion of his upcoming contracts. Kise was an extremely popular model, he often had his pick of work but his agent was being very careful to only forward strategic offers to him. Kise had once, on a whim, accepted a direct offer for work and ended up being the face of a disreputable travel agency. His career had taken a slight dive from this until his manager, Kasamatsu Yukio, had very judiciously selected a number of public appearances and charity events to redeem him – Kise was in good hands.

Kise had to leave soon after to finalize a new contract but before he left, Kuroko reminded him of his promise. Kise had pouted in mock-offense but then renewed his intention to not discuss Kuroko with Akashi. He'd paused on the way out, looking back at Kuroko for a moment before he spoke.

"I wouldn't have recommended that you meet him if I thought he was genuinely dangerous to you, Kurokocchi. I don't know what he's planning or imagining, but I do think that since you are basing a character on him at least in part, you need to speak to him again. I won't interfere beyond this, but if you need me, you know where I am." He winked and set off with a wave, leaving Kuroko to smile and shake his head after him.

Although it didn't happen often, Kise was right, about this issue anyway. Kuroko did need to meet with Akashi again, if only to ensure the other didn't have the wrong idea. And perhaps he would apologize to Akashi, he had been rude after all. He thought it over for a long moment before furrowing his brow. Was there a way to do this without making it seem as though he were trying to hide something?

He reached for his phone and considered dialing the number he had for Akashi's secretary. It was the weekend so he could just leave a message explaining he'd like to set another meeting. He doubted Akashi had much availability anyway. It would probably be quite a while before he was able to see the busy executive, he could prepare himself. Feeling optimistic, Kuroko made the call.

It quickly became plain that the universe hated him. He had two significant pieces of proof to support this claim. First, Akashi's secretary apparently worked weekends, because Akash evidently worked weekends. She'd answered the phone in a welcoming tone that didn't give the slightest hint of peevishness at being on duty during hours most people would be gratefully relaxing. Second, she was only too happy to inform him that Akashi actually had availability that very afternoon, if he could come in on such short notice. If not, she could offer him an appointment in three months, her boss was a very busy man after all.

Kuroko was sorely tempted to take the later appointment, but he didn't want it hovering over him for so long. He expelled a breath in quiet resignation before confirming he would be there later that afternoon. The call was disconnected with brief pleasantries from them both. Kuroko's hand gripped his phone tightly in momentary frustration before setting it carefully down on the cushion next to him. He smiled ruefully to himself, well it looked like he would be making Kise-kun happy at least, he'd certainly followed the blond's advice. With that thought he picked up his mobile again and sent off a quick message to Kise that he would be meeting Akashi later that day.

He glanced at the clock, he had plenty of time, but that worked to his disadvantage in some ways. He hadn't expected to see Akashi so soon, yet he still had several hours before the appointment. Kuroko wasn't one to waste time so he threw himself into a whirlwind of activity to distract himself until it was time to go. He tackled a list of outstanding chores with single-minded determination and soon Nigou was exhausted from following Kuroko around as he tidied up. It wasn't until Kuroko was vacuuming the floor of his closet that he realized he truly was nervous. His stomach dropped at the thought – he had nothing to hide after all. But he turned off the machine and sank into a tired huddle on the floor. He looked around and took in the fruits of his labors; it wasn't that he was messy by any means, but he had shined and buffed surfaces that were usually omitted from his regular routine.

But the work had served its purpose, he had filled the hours productively at least. He stood and stretched slightly, working out the kinks from his muscles. Kuroko grimaced as he caught sight of himself in a mirror – he looked rather the worse for wear with a smudge of dirt across his face and his hair had gotten mussed during his activities. He headed for the bathroom and showered quickly, but it was not lost on him that he was making an effort simply because he was going to meet with Akashi.

He considered his clothing options carefully. He didn't want to make it seem as though he had dressed up for the other man, but Kuroko wasn't so impolite to show up in his sleeping clothes, either. He dithered for a moment, uncharacteristically at a loss for what he should do. He had just started to reach for a familiar plain white shirt when his phone rang. Startled, he almost tripped over his own feet as he reached to answer it, seeing Kise's name on the screen.

"Hello? Kise-kun?" His voice sounded bewildered; he'd already spoken to Kise that day.

"Kurokocchi, don't do it!" Kise sounded frantic and Kuroko's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"What are you talking about? It was your suggestion I meet with Akashi-san again!"

"What? No, of course go meet with him. I mean don't wear that shirt you always use for these occasions – that lifeless white thing you insist is professional. It washes you out Kurokocchi, and you're pale enough as it is, no need to look spectral."

Kuroko closed his eyes in a bid for patience. "Did you really call me to lecture me on my fashion choices, Kise-kun?"

The urgent sincerity of Kise's reply was endearing, if still irritating. "KUROKOCCHI, you need to feel confident and dressing to advantage helps with that! I'm looking out for your best interests here! I just saw your text and I KNEW you would be reaching for that shirt if I didn't hurry. And you WERE, weren't you?!"

There was no point in denying it. Kuroko shrugged despite the other not being able to see him and admitted he had been planning to wear it.

"I KNEW IT. You were probably going to pair it with those shapeless black trousers of yours, too, weren't you? Honestly Kurokocchi, you're not going to interview for a job." Kise's triumphal tone was short lived as he immediately switched to a more businesslike manner. He was familiar with Kuroko's wardrobe, having tried at various points in time to get Kuroko more interested in clothing that suited him better.

"Okay, Kurokocchi, just listen to me. You see the brown sweater with the textured pattern? Wear that over the cream shirt with the collar and cuffs that I gave you last year. No, cream is not the same color as white; it is warmer. Pair those with your skinny jeans. Yes, jeans are perfectly fine, it is the weekend and again, you aren't going for an interview."

Kuroko held up the items Kise recommended with a dubious scowl in place – he was slightly on edge from Kise's assumptions about his predictability. It didn't help that he'd been right as Kuroko looked a little guiltily at the black pants he most likely would have grabbed with the white dress shirt.

"Kurokocchi, not to be indelicate, but you know you can't wear boxers with those jeans, right?" Kise's voice was teasing now.

"Kise-kun, it better be a while before I see you after making such a remark. I am not a child." Kuroko was gritting his teeth as he spoke. As limited as his fashion sense was, he knew from a standpoint of sheer pragmatism that the excess fabric of boxers wouldn't go well with the form fitting design of the jeans Kise wanted him to wear.

"But you're not as nervous about the meeting now, right? So my job's accomplished." Kise spoke softly and somewhat reassuringly.

Kuroko smiled, Kise's tactics were strange but he had to admit they were effective. "Thank you, Kise-kun. I will let you know how it goes."

Kise's grin was practically audible he sounded so pleased with himself. "Absolutely, Kurokocchi. Good luck! Oh, I wasn't kidding about the boxers though – you'll ruin the lines of your jeans with them." But he hung up before Kuroko could scold him, his laughter as he rushed out a good bye leaving Kuroko with a sense of fond exasperation.

He got dressed, following Kise's advice. He knew enough not to blatantly clash when left to his own devices, but Kise had a much better eye for these things. Kuroko left after giving Nigou a treat, he didn't want to be late.

The traffic cooperated with him, his bus was on time and moved smoothly through the busy lanes to reach the stop he wanted in record time. Kuroko was inside the building and getting cleared through Akashi's security almost before he knew it. When he arrived at the outer office, the secretary smiled welcomingly at him and motioned him through with a polite nod, he was expected after all.

Somehow, when he pushed open the door this time, it felt entirely different from when he'd been here in December. There was a certain edge to the air and it felt rather like he was entering the den of a very patient but no less hungry predator. This was confirmed when Akashi raised his head away from looking at a document on his desk and smiled at him – there were quite a few teeth to that otherwise cordial gesture.

"I didn't expect to see you quite this soon, Tetsuya." Akashi stood and walked around his desk, waving Kuroko to one of the seats. "May I offer you something to drink?" He sounded for all the world like the world's politest host, but Kuroko wasn't fooled.

He took the same chair he had last time and nodded. "Water, please."

Akashi went to a small wet bar that was tastefully concealed behind a sleekly modern screen. It took only the work of a moment to fix two glasses of ice water, he returned and handed one to Tetsuya before resuming his seat.

Kuroko waited only until Akashi had set his glass on his desk before he spoke – he didn't want to get distracted. "I don't know what you've heard about Ogiwara-kun, Akashi-san. But I would like to set the record straight, if I may. I was surprised when you mentioned his name last night, as not too many people know of our connection. I think that might have given you the wrong impression. I'm going to tell you about it in an effort to protect his privacy, rather than mine."

Akashi listened impassively. He was inwardly surprised; he hadn't expected Tetsuya to be so direct. He indicated his permission with a negligent wave of his hand.

As he took in a shallow breath before he spoke again, Kuroko realized that he really hadn't planned this particularly well. "Ogiwara-kun and I met when we were children. He's the one that first taught me how to play basketball, which is how I eventually became friends with Kise-kun. Although he moved away, we kept in touch. As it turned out, he placed into the same high school as Kise-kun and I did and we all hung out. There was an…unfortunate incident…at school and he suffered for it. I don't know what you were told about Ogiwara-kun, but it isn't really a secret. His privacy deserves to be protected, but it's not a cover-up, Akashi-san."

Although he hadn't interrupted Kuroko's speech, Akashi wasn't satisfied with the explanation. "That seems a little…tame…compared to what I was told." He said this in a neutral tone, but his skepticism was plain to hear.

Kuroko met his eyes. He shrugged, a movement that resonated his inability to force Akashi to believe him. "What were you told then?"

Akashi's eyes gleamed for a moment. "I was told you were responsible for his incapacitation." He didn't go into the details, waiting to see how Tetsuya would respond.

Kuroko didn't look away. "That is only half-true. I didn't hurt him, but he was hurt because of me."

"A curious distinction, if I may say so." In all honesty, Akashi didn't particularly care if Tetsuya had hurt someone. He simply wanted to retain an advantage; it was a condition he preferred to have. He was beginning to have doubts this was something he could use though; Tetsuya wasn't exhibiting the usual signs that someone under pressure would show – there was no sense he was rushing to assure Akashi of his innocence.

A brief smile flashed across his face before he responded – it was tight and much closer to a grimace than an expression of amusement. "You saw Mayuzumi-san last night, yes? I am sure if you know of Ogiwara-kun, you probably came across rumors that we don't get along. That is true. Mayuzumi-san also attended school with us, however he is our elder and we had little to do with him. But gradually he began to see me as a rival – we were in a writing class together and frequently our works were compared. At some point, the school sponsored a pool party at a large waterpark nearby. Mayuzumi-san had heard a rumor about me and was teasing me. I was embarrassed but there was nothing really to be done. Ogiwara-kun tried to distract Mayuzmi-san and unfortunately in the confusion he was pushed rather strongly – he fell and was hurt. Ogiwara-kun was unable to finish the school year because of it."

Akashi didn't blink. "Why does this incident require protecting him, then? If it is as you say, then it was certainly unfortunate but there is no need for either of you to have any backlash. I would rather think Mayuzumi would be the one who wished to keep this quiet and that you might simply have let the matter drop."

For the first time, Kuroko couldn't meet Akashi's eyes. "Ogiwara-kun doesn't remember it, Akashi-san. He hit his head hard enough to suffer some memory loss. He knows who I am, but he doesn't remember why he was hurt or our friendship before high school. He's aware there are blank spots and it causes him distress when he tries to remember. It would be painful for him, if that time was made public. I can't imagine what you intended to do with the information you uncovered, but please understand that while this incident was an accident, it isn't anything to revisit now. There's nothing to be gained."

Akashi's expression grew calculating. "What of the rumor that provoked the fall in the first place?"

Kuroko answered calmly, he wasn't going to be baited into going on the defensive. "I was infatuated with another student, one that did not return my affections and probably didn't even know of my existence. If you have any memories at all of high school, you must remember how devastating a secret something like that can be. It certainly felt world-shattering at the time, as such things will. But facing the inadvertent consequences of Ogiwara-kun's injury made it pale in importance."

Akashi's mind filtered through the information at his disposal. He was inclined to accept that Imayoshi either had incorrect information or had deliberately skewed it for some purpose known only to him. However, he didn't think Tetsuya was being entirely honest either.

"Why did you want to come here today, Tetsuya?" His question was curious but inwardly, Akashi was already speculating.

Kuroko shrugged, he wasn't entirely certain of the answer to that himself. "Kise-kun thought I should come explain sooner rather than later. I have no control over what you do, but I can't imagine I have anything so worthwhile you need leverage over me, Akashi-san. My hope was to clear the air since you did me a favor last month and I do not want Ogiwara-kun disturbed."

Akashi's smile was so blindingly gentle in response that it instantly set Kuroko on high alert. "I am not after your friend; you may rest easy on that score. It doesn't sound as if I would get very far trying to pursue such an avenue, anyway. I'm not so ready to ignore you, however."

The silence that ensued was heavy and Kuroko was unsettled. "I don't know what you mean by that, Akashi-san."

"You will." It seemed he might not say anything else but Akashi's eyes were reflecting both amusement and something that seemed to be searching for an answer of his own. He sat back more easily in his chair and lightly folded his hands over his abdomen as he looked at Kuroko. "I imagine that you didn't abandon your quest to learn about shogi merely because you didn't ask me anything else about it. Tell me what you've learned." It was a demand that came out of nowhere, and Akashi was gratified to see Kuroko's look of confusion.

"I know enough to be aware that I have a lot more to learn. I have been watching local tournaments and reading up on the game to obtain a better insight into the character, but I think my editor picked a very complicated hobby for him."

"Shogi is a game that rewards patience, if you understand that then your character should turn out believably enough." Akashi slipped into silence, staring thoughtfully at the folder on his desk. It contained the report Imayoshi had given him. He would be following up with that man in short order, Akashi did not care to be cast as the fool.

When he spoke again, Akashi's suggestion was mild enough, but it somehow put Kuroko on edge. "Would you be interested in a match? I keep a set here and it might help you to actually play rather than only observe."

Kuroko was no coward. But he wasn't a masochist either. He would be thoroughly trounced by someone of Akashi's caliber and he knew it. Hell, he'd be trounced by someone with only a small fraction of Akashi's skill. He tried to get out of it. "Ah, no thank you, Akashi-san. You must be very busy and I can't offer you anything close to a real competition, it would not be fair to you."

Akashi slid his eyes over to Kuroko's and without speaking a word somehow forced the other man to meet his gaze. When he responded, his voice held a careful blend of amusement and intent. "I am aware that you are a beginner, Tetsuya. I am not such a bully that I need to crush your morale when you are still learning." He leaned down and slightly to the side, opened a drawer and extracted a shogi set. "Play a game with me."

Kuroko really didn't want to. He knew Akashi was a brilliant opponent, but even more than that, Kuroko was still a little shaky on the rules. He was prepared to lose, but he didn't want to look ridiculous while doing it. However, apart from simply taking his leave, Kuroko did not really see a way out of the match. The slightly arrogant tilt of Akashi's head as he acknowledged Kuroko's dilemma was infuriating, but Kuroko just nodded.

In short order, Akashi had the board set up between them. His desk was a substantial piece of furniture, but it wasn't so massive that they both couldn't reach the pieces during their respective turns. The match proceeded mostly in silence, with only the smooth rasp of pieces sliding or being removed to break the quiet.

Akashi won quickly. Of course he did. As he held the last piece he'd taken from Kuroko, he stared appraisingly at his opponent for a moment. "You have potential." It was a statement that could have sounded condescending, and even would have been in most other circumstances. Yet shogi was not an area that Akashi took lightly and Kuroko understood it was meant sincerely.

That did not mean he had to enjoy having lost the match in so resounding a fashion. He shrugged. "Perhaps. I can see why you enjoy the game, but I don't think it is for me."

There was a soft noise and it took Kuroko a moment to realize that Akashi had chuckled. It was brief and over almost before Kuroko could truly believe he'd done it. "Let's play again. I'll walk you through what you're doing wrong."

Kuroko's internal response was "everything" but he kept it to himself. Instead he was listening as Akashi patiently coached him through the pitfalls and consequences of his choices when he hesitated. He still lost, but he moved his pieces with more assurance this time.

Akashi put away the board after that game. He'd wanted to play for a number of reasons. Among them, the simple curiosity of wanting to know what the other man had learned. A more pressing reason was that he wanted to see Tetsuya's strategy and style of playing, Akashi had often found it revealed a great deal about a person.

It was perhaps unfair; Tetsuya was so obviously a novice that his technique couldn't quite be called a strategy. Yet Akashi had watched as Tetsuya observed his own moves, reconciling it with the advice he'd doled out, to form something that approximated a style he'd grow into if he kept playing. It told him two things. First, while Tetsuya was both intelligent and competitive, he was mostly handicapped by inexperience. Second, although Tetsuya was usually a straightforward player, he wasn't above trying to set a trap. Neither of those things disappointed Akashi.

Akashi toyed with an idea for a moment, considering the potential implications, before he shrugged and murmured, "I owe you an apology. I am…not accustomed…to someone telling me I might be in the wrong. It would seem I was misinformed about your connection to your friend and let my temper get ahead of me last night."

Kuroko froze, wary of Akashi's sudden concession. He narrowed his eyes slightly and accepted the apology cautiously, "It's nothing to worry about, thank you for apologizing. I'm glad you believe me though."

He quirked his lips at Tetsuya's response. "Indeed, but it has given me another task. I'm going to have to check in with my source to determine why I was directed in such a misleading fashion. It's not a condition I enjoy experiencing."

While Akashi had said this pleasantly enough, Kuroko felt something almost like fear shoot through him – Akashi's source had better have a good explanation. Kuroko tried to redirect.

"I am sure it was just a mistake. But I am pleased it is cleared up now. I should get going though, Akashi-san. I've taken up enough of your time recently." He stood and offered a tentative smile.

Akashi stilled, his gaze oddly intent. "You asked what I hoped to gain by having leverage over you, Tetsuya. I'll tell you a secret…I don't know yet. It is simply a manner of best practices for me. Ogiwara might not be the way, but I'll find something, I always do."

Kuroko shook his head. "Akashi-san…I have nothing that would be of value to you; the only possible thing I have that you might want is my friendship. And I have to say, if that's what you want, trying to uncover leverage over someone is not the way to make friends."

Akashi smiled his acknowledgement. "You're right enough about that, leverage definitely puts a damper on a friendship. The trouble is…friendship isn't precisely a relationship category I tend to pursue. I suppose you might become something of a novelty in that regard, but I don't know that I would be content with that. For now, I would be truly hurt to find you don't keep in touch with progress about the shogi playing character at the very least." He said this lightly, giving the impression that it was nothing to him either way, but that he expected Kuroko to follow through regardless. To emphasize this, he pulled out a business card from a slender case he took from his pocket. After glancing at it briefly, he turned it over and scribbled something on the back, then slid it across the desk toward Tetsuya.

Kuroko was aware this breach of etiquette was significant for some reason, but he wasn't sure why. He leaned down and picked up the card, seeing the public contact details for Akashi on one side. On the other, was a different e-mail address and phone number.

Akashi shrugged, but the gesture seemed somehow impish rather than conveying he was at a loss. "For convenience, if nothing else."

Kuroko angled his head slightly to look at Akashi, his expression readily exhibiting suspicion, but he tucked the card into his pocket for safekeeping. "Akashi-san…I highly doubt anything about this will be convenient. At least until you make up your mind about what it is you think you want from me." He offered a small nod before he walked out of Akashi's office.

Akashi watched him go, a half-smile in place. Tetsuya had no idea how right he was. But speaking of inconveniences…there was a rather irritating matter he now needed to address.

He pushed the intercom button and when his secretary answered, he said only, "If you would be so kind as to get Imayoshi for me, please." She agreed, pleasantly and professionally, just as he knew she would. And then he sat back in his chair, fingers steepled as he contemplated the past twenty-four hours. He had new questions for Imayoshi. Once Akashi was done ensuring the other man understood his displeasure with Imayoshi's first effort, he believed he had a new task for the bespectacled information broker. There was definitely more to the story than what Tetsuya had conveyed, he would find out what was behind it, one way or another.


	4. Chapter 4

Welcome to Chapter 4, I hope you like it!

Artistic License

Chapter 4

Akashi wasn't just sitting in his chair as he surveyed Imayoshi, who was seated across from him. He was giving off the aura of an extremely dangerous predator who had his prey well within his reach. Despite the tension, Imayoshi's posture was relaxed and casual. He had to suspect why Akashi had summoned him but the information broker didn't seem to have a care in the world. He simply kept his smile in place as he patiently waited for Akashi to break the silence.

Although Akashi was not usually one to be disturbed by prolonged silences, today he was more interested in having answers. He spoke, calmly but with intent, "I have to wonder if perhaps you did not understand your assignment. Was it somehow unclear, Imayoshi-san?" The question was everything patient and sympathetic – underscoring the real, and far less kind, emotions behind it in a vicious contrast.

Imayoshi smirked and adjusted his body in the chair, lazily running one hand down his elegantly patterned tie. "I always guarantee my work, was it unsatisfactory in some way?" He sounded playful beneath the solicitous inquiry.

The image of Tetsuya's face when he'd disclosed his history with Mayuzumi and Ogiwara had left Akashi feeling particularly unsatisfied – he wanted to know more about the incident and how it seemed to impact the relationship between the two authors today.

He smiled. It was somewhere between a threat and a promise. "I believe you know it was. Tell me, Imayoshi-san, what prompted you to pull this stunt? You have always been more restrained in our dealings."

The bespectacled man gave a slight shrug. "Perhaps I took inspiration from the fiction of the authors you were so interested in?" He wasn't the least bit repentant, but even so he withdrew a slim flash drive from his jacket pocket and slid it across the desk. "I had no doubt you would be wondering if there was more – here is a more complete picture."

Akashi stared at the small drive contemplatively but he made no move to pick it up. "More complete? Are you deliberately withholding anything this time?"

The impish smile was hardly reassuring. "I could never promise to completely know a man, even for you. But you'll find some pertinent information there for sure."

There was something in Imayoshi's reply that irked Akashi, perhaps it was the obvious fact that Imayoshi was still playing a game with him and he disliked participating in games that were not of his design. Still, as he mulled over the other man's words he fixated on a key point: Imayoshi had known he'd need to bring more information, but he had brought it on a flash drive, something that bothered Akashi for a moment until he decided on his next question.

"Answer this for me, if you would be so kind. Who else is interested in them?" Akashi's question seemed to hang in the air between them for a moment and the startled look on Imayoshi's face let Akashi know he'd been right to ask. If Akashi had been the only interested party, Imayoshi would have given him a printed report as he usually did. This style could only mean one thing – he'd distributed it more widely, or had plans to at least.

Although he tried to stall for time, Imayoshi finally just laughed and offered a shrug. "It would seem Kuroko-kun and Mayuzumi-san are very popular – and not just for their writing talents. But the spike of interest came only after you asked about Kuroko-kun." Imayoshi smiled, a polite gesture spoiled by the mischief it held, and commented softly, leadingly, "You may have a mole in your office."

Akashi stared at him, unfazed. "I did not ask you about the security of my office. I asked who else wanted the information."

The light that glinted off Imayoshi's spectacles hid his eyes from view for a moment but the tone of his reply let Akashi know he was probably amused. "So you didn't. To business, then. There were a few inquiries from competing publishers, most likely determining if your request signaled an investment opportunity for them."

Akashi waved those off, that type of interest didn't matter.

Imayoshi continued his account. "And of course, your father also wanted to know why you were taking the time to have two authors investigated."

Although this news irritated Akashi, he wasn't surprised by it. His father invariably stuck his nose where it wasn't wanted at the least opportune moment. Undoubtedly it would be mentioned the next time they met for dinner. Akashi invited Imayoshi to proceed with a nod of acknowledgment.

The grin that flashed briefly across Imayoshi's face would have annoyed Akashi in other circumstances but he let it pass for now, there were more important matters to consider.

"Both Kuroko-kun and Mayuzumi-san have drawn attention from various cultural foundations, though none of those entities have requested my services I am sorry to say. A party that _has_ , however, is a small firm that appears to exist solely on paper called HKD, Unlimited."

Akashi's eyes visibly lit up, now there was something interesting.

Seeing the gleam of interest, Imayoshi kept speaking. "Someone claiming to represent that company reached out to me. This person indicated that they'd like deep background checks on Kuroko-kun and Mayuzumi-san in order to determine their suitability to receive a writing stipend. I gave them the same report I first gave you, and they were similarly displeased."

The silence that descended wasn't strained – it was anticipatory. And while he may have worn glasses, Imayoshi wasn't blind, he could see Akashi's expression had taken on an edge of something that wavered between contemplation and intent.

Akashi was in no rush to speak; he knew Imayoshi would wait. He was considering several possibilities, deciding which was most prudent was easy enough, but he rather thought there was another, more rewarding, path to take.

"I assume you have not yet given this representative a flash drive of their own with this updated report, correct?" Akashi's question earned a shark's smile of appreciation from Imayoshi.

"You understand the situation splendidly. May I assume you wish me to give them a modified version?"

Akashi shook his head decisively. "No, give them exactly what you've given me. But transfer the report to this drive instead." He reached into a slim drawer of his desk and extracted a small, flat box that was no longer than a business-size envelope. He opened the lid, removing a flash drive that seemed perfectly generic and ordinary, and slid it across the desk to be within Imayoshi's reach.

The black haired man did not immediately pick up the device. Instead, he reached up to cradle his chin against the knuckles of his right hand and pursed his lips in mock-thoughtfulness. "What is this, Akashi-kun, surely you're not doing something as nefarious as giving me a drive loaded with a tracking chip?"

"Don't ask a question you already know the answer to, Imayoshi-san. You'd have done better to ask what other codes are on it. As it is, lets bypass that altogether and discuss the exorbitant fee I expect you'll charge to deliver this drive with the information on it instead of your own." Akashi didn't sound particularly worried, and indeed he had little reason to be. Imayoshi rarely wanted monetary payments from Akashi, instead taking items-in-trade or a particular favor.

Imayoshi smiled and it was a calculating, knowing look. "I am sure you appreciate that I will be burning a bridge, possibly more than one if word gets out I have done this, so the fee will reflect the sacrifice and risk of what you're asking."

Akashi lifted one shoulder in a negligent shrug. "I'm aware of what you're doing. Tell me what you want."

He didn't wait much more than a moment before naming his price. "I want that manor house you purchased near Too Academy. I have a relative who will be attending the school next year and the location is much more convenient than their current home."

With a slight smile, Akashi agreed. "How surprisingly familial-minded of you, Imayoshi-san. It's yours, once I receive the confirmation they use the drive, the documents of transfer will be sent to your office. I would like to emphasize, however, in case this is in anyway unclear, that I will revoke the transfer if I find you are still deliberately withholding information." He tapped his fingers lightly against the armrest of his chair. "Additionally, you may have the contents of the house if you keep me informed of any new developments. Consider it an incentive to continue your hard work."

Imayoshi was shocked, although he certainly wasn't going to protest. But he knew there was a small fortune's worth of antiques, artwork, and designer pieces in the home – the fact that Akashi was making his retainer's fee so attractive left little doubt in his mind that something deeper was at stake here.

With both of them pleased by the exchange, Imayoshi took his leave, Akashi's flash drive safely ensconced in his pocket.

Akashi refrained from looking at the one Imayoshi had given him. He would wait until he was at home. Despite what he'd told Imayoshi, he did have some concerns about a potential information breech at his office and he would not risk upsetting his own strategy.

* * *

Kuroko, meanwhile, had no idea what Akashi was up to. He was immersing himself in his book, or trying to anyway. He was all set up with his notes and outline arranged neatly at his desk with his computer turned on and even had a motivational vanilla milkshake set encouragingly to the side.

The cursor blinked stoically at him from the top of the page. Well, not quite the very top. He did have "Chapter 1" oh-so-carefully centered above where the first sentence would appear. It was something, wasn't it?

Kuroko sighed. Who was he kidding? This wasn't like him. Usually by this stage in the process he would have been deep into a draft, emerging only when Kise or Aomine came by to drag him away for a break. But rather than the characters of his book, his thoughts were drawn to someone with many qualities that seemed better suited to the pages of fiction – but had somehow managed to escape them.

He closed his eyes for a moment, drawing up the image of Akashi from their last meeting. Kuroko had found all of the templates for his characters and each real world person had been charismatic and fascinating in different ways. Only Akashi had seemed to find something of particular interest in Kuroko in return. The others had been courteous, even friendly in many cases, graciously answering his preliminary questions and allowing Kuroko to call upon their various expertise in order to fashion more realistic portrayals. All of them were similar in a way, they were all intense, sometimes overwhelmingly so. But it was only Akashi that seemed to purposefully embrace that quality.

He opened his eyes at that thought. Enough of this, he had plenty to focus on without worrying about Akashi. He had presented his case as best he could, there was nothing else to do except get on with his work. Kuroko stared resolutely at his screen, determined to act on that impulse, when he hesitated and turned his head to look at the small framed photograph that sat almost apologetically on the bookshelf opposite his desk.

It showed himself with Ogiwara-kun, the other boy's arm was around his neck as they laughed at some shared joke that Kuroko didn't remember. It had been taken sometime the week of the pool party, Kuroko did not recall exactly what had been going on but he'd kept the photo out on display to remind himself of how quickly things changed. He didn't have the ability to forget Ogiwara or the accident itself, but sometimes the photo prodded him to remember that secrets only caused trouble. Kuroko was filled with a sense of regret. He hadn't meant to be the cause, even inadvertently, of something so painful.

He slumped forward to rest his head on the desk for a moment. But just as the edge began to form an indentation on his skin, he became impatient with himself – this was not productive. The doctors had said that Ogiwara might one day regain his full memories but in the meantime he had to leave it well enough alone.

Straightening, he rolled his shoulder to work out a kink and exhaled sharply to refocus himself. Kuroko looked at his notes and finally compromised with himself – he didn't have to start at the beginning. Feeling better, Kuroko's eyes warmed at he landed on the pile dedicated to Midorima-kun. He was never going to be best friends with the talented doctor, but Kuroko unequivocally appreciated his skill.

Kuroko smiled as he remembered Midorima-kun's exasperation when Kuroko called for a follow-up question. He'd been ostensibly impatient with Kuroko, but the author had been startled when after hearing a laugh in the background and a brief scuffling sound, someone else came on the line.

Takao Kazunari, who was the prominent doctor's assistant, had laughed at him through the phone but assured Kuroko that Midorima, Shin-chan to Takao, really didn't mind Kuroko's questions and was in fact quite pleased and flattered to be considered an inspiration for the project. Kuroko had smiled to himself and murmured his understanding and thanks. Takao then surrendered the phone back to Midorima, and Kuroko could hear the continued laughter as the mischievous man backed away after his interference.

Yes, he could start with Midorima-kun. Kuroko had decided that all of his prodigies would interact with each other, rather than devoting separate sections as if they were case studies in some type of anthology. Feeling optimistic, Kuroko began to reach for his computer and started typing.

He didn't stop until he felt an odd sensation at his ankle. Startled, he looked down and saw Nigou had draped himself over his foot. Kuroko looked at the time and was surprised to see he had been at it for several hours – and Nigou was now politely reminding him that his bowl was empty.

Kuroko reached down and ruffled the soft fur at Nigou's ears in apology before getting up and stretching briefly. He hadn't been sure he'd be able to pull a longer session like that but was glad to see it had indeed been possible. Kuroko enjoyed a good relationship with his publishing company, in part because he was always on time with his drafts and very consistent with producing quality work. He still had quite a while before his agent would be looking for the draft, but his own work ethic demanded he start early and give it his best effort.

He headed toward the kitchen and refilled Nigou's bowl – the dog was happily devouring his meal within seconds. As Kuroko watched, he heard the muted buzz of his phone. Tapping his pockets, Kuroko realized it wasn't on him and began a quick search. After a few rings, he managed to uncover the device from its place in his bag and saw that Aomine-kun was trying to reach him.

He answered easily enough. "Hello, Aomine-kun. How are you?"

Aomine was quick and to the point. "Tetsu, want to grab dinner with Satsuki and me?"

Kuroko didn't have to think long, he had no other plans. "Yes, that would be fine."

Aomine tossed out the name of a nearby place and they agreed to meet soon – they were not much for long phone conversations in most circumstances.

Kuroko went back to his computer and made sure to save his work. He had all of his work auto saved it to a cloud storage service just in case, but he was paranoid and wanted to double check. It meant waiting until the syncing icon completed its little wheel of activity before shutting the machine off, but it was a step he never skipped.

Soon enough he was on his way, feeling better than he'd thought he would. Aomine-kun and Momoi-san were good company, their energetic personalities could be entertaining and he knew they were genuinely fond of him.

Aomine didn't open up to people very frequently. He'd been a dominant force in Japanese basketball for a few years before he'd abruptly left the sport altogether. It had been a shock that rippled throughout Japan as the popular and talented athlete had given no explanation for his departure. He refused to talk about it and had faded into obscurity with relative ease by burying himself into a new career with the police.

Kuroko found him fascinating even if he didn't entirely understand the man. But they'd managed to shake out friendship in spite of having relatively little in common. So he had no misgivings about meeting Aomine and Momoi for a meal – they had done it often enough in the past for him to think nothing of it.

It was that thought that kept looping through his brain as he sat across from the pair in what suddenly felt like an interrogation – or at the very least, an intervention.

"Aomine-kun, Momoi-san, if you would be so kind…please repeat that." He was polite with his request, but Kuroko could hear the strain in his normally even voice.

Momoi took the lead. "Tetsu-kun, Dai-chan and I were suspicious of Akashi-san after meeting him on your birthday. Ki-chan was unfortunately useless, so we've been investigating on our own. As Dai-chan just said, we came across some information that suggests Akashi-san is planning to take over your publishing company. How badly did things go that night?" Her question practically vibrated concern and Kuroko couldn't blame her.

Kuroko didn't answer right away, he was lost in his thoughts and wondering how things had spiraled out of control so quickly. If those rumors were true, Akashi would have a lot of power over Kuroko's career, and Kuroko himself. Could he be that devious? Kuroko laughed to himself, of course he _could_ , but was this truly Akashi's style…? He didn't know…but he thought he might have to find out.

He honestly couldn't have told anyone what the three of them talked about for the remainder of the meal. Kuroko would assume the pair of them asked for information he didn't have and that the three of them were resigned to wait for Akashi's next move – that was the best he could piece together anyway. It was all a blur as his brain seemed to have frozen on the crisis that had presented itself. Kuroko only knew he somehow ended up back at home and asleep while feeling his world had upended and trying to stay calm about it until he knew for sure if panicking was even necessary. But somehow, Kuroko had the strange suspicion that even if this particular rumor were not true…Akashi wasn't done with him by any stretch of the imagination.


End file.
